Men may find it difficult to find snacks that are healthy and nutritious, especially if they are always on the go. Instead, many men end up stopping at fast food restaurants or convenience stores to grab snacks that are low in protein and filled with fat and carbohydrates. With a little planning, these habits can be reversed and you can enjoy snacks that are nutritious and fill you up. While men may enjoy these snacks, women can also reap the healthy benefits they offer.
Cottage Cheese
Cottage cheese is a snack that requires no preparation whatsoever. One-half cup of cottage cheese contains just 2 g of fat and 102 calories. On average, one serving of cottage cheese is packed with 16 g of protein. Cottage cheese can be sweetened with a dash of cinnamon or given some kick with a dash of pepper. For the ultimate healthy snack, chop up fresh peaches, raspberries, strawberries, pineapples or bananas and mix them into the cottage cheese.
Rice Cake With Peanut Butter
Two tablespoons of natural peanut butter are loaded with monounsaturated fat to help keep your heart healthy and contain between 150 and 180 calories. This serving also packs 8 g of protein and, when combined with a rice cake, makes a snack with a satisfying crunch. Along with the protein content, this snack provides 2 g of fiber. The addition of one plain rice cake only adds 35 additional calories to your snack. If you don't care for the taste of rice cakes, you can pair the peanut butter with celery, whole-grain crackers, an apple, whole-wheat bread or a banana.
Fruit and String Cheese
Mozzarella string-cheese sticks are low in fat, easily portable and feature built-in portion control. One cheese stick gives you a full 8 g of protein. Combining the cheese with fruit like strawberries, papaya, kiwi, mandarin oranges, bananas or pineapple adds fiber to your snack, making it a good choice for when you start to drag in the afternoon. One cup of fruit paired with two pieces of string cheese contains just 150 calories and 3 g of fat while providing you with 4 g of fiber.
Mixed Nuts
Mixed nuts help curb hunger while giving you some fats that are healthy for your heart. Instead of going into a convenience store and grabbing a sugary candy bar or greasy chips, you can pick up a single-serving package of mixed nuts. Choose nuts that do not include salt or hydrogenated oils on the label; they contain trans fatty acids, which basically cancel out the health benefits. A 1-ounce serving of mixed nuts contains approximately 160 calories, 5 g of protein and 3 g of fiber.
References
- "Eat This, Not That: The Best & Worst Foods in America"; David Zinczenko; 2009
- "The World's Healthiest Foods"; Michelle Tason; 2009
Member Comments